Dear — Defs

01 a. Bearing a high price; high-priced; costly; expensive.

1.
Bearing a high price; high-priced; costly; expensive.
“The cheapest of us is ten groats too dear.” — Shak.
2.
Marked by scarcity or dearth, and exorbitance of price; as, a dear year.
3.
Highly valued; greatly beloved; cherished; precious.
“Neither count I my life dear unto myself.” — Acts xx. 24.

“And the last joy was dearer than the rest.” — Pope.

“Dear as remember'd kisses after death.” — Tennyson.
4.
Hence, close to the heart; heartfelt; present in mind; engaging the attention.
“[I'll] leave you to attend him: some dear cause Will in concealment wrap me up awhile.” — Shak.

“His dearest wish was to escape from the bustle and glitter of Whitehall.” — Macaulay.
5.
Of disagreeable things and antipathies.
“In our dear peril.” — Shak.

“Would I had met my dearest foe in heaven Or ever I had seen that day.” — Shak.

02 n. A dear one; lover; sweetheart.

1.
A dear one; lover; sweetheart.
“That kiss I carried from thee, dear.” — Shak.

03 adv. Dearly; at a high price.

1.
Dearly; at a high price.
“If thou attempt it, it will cost thee dear.” — Shak.

04 v. t. To endear.